Dear all, Thanks so much for the help many ACUPA members gave for our Institutional Policy Project earlier this year, which explored institutional policy in the United States, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
I presented the first conference paper arising from this research at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom in April (see abstract below). The full paper is available online at: https://www.academia.edu/6917016/An_international_comparative_perspective_on_institutional_policy_to_enhance_institutional_governance_policy-making_and_policy_infrastructure_for_improved_institutional_outcomes_Association_of_University_Administrators_AUA_Annual_Conference_University_of_Manchester_13-16_April_2014 Nancy Capell is giving a further paper on the results of the research (particularly focussed on US institutions) at the forthcoming ACUPA conference, and I’m giving another paper (along with Lapan) in Australia in about a months time. We’ll circulate both of these as they may be of some interest. Enjoy! Regards, Brigid Freeman University of Melbourne email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> / [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> website: https://unimelb.academia.edu/BrigidFreeman An international comparative perspective on institutional policy to enhance institutional governance, policy-making and policy infrastructure, for improved institutional outcomes Association of University Administrators (AUA) Annual Conference University of Manchester, UK, 13-16 April, 2014 Brigid Freeman, University of Melbourne, Australia, [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Nancy Capell, formerly of University of California Office of the President (UCOP), United States, [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Andrew Goldblatt, University of California – Berkeley, United States, [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Miskus Lapan, Island Research and Consultants, Papua New Guinea, [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Tracie Mafile’o, Pacific Adventist University, Papua New Guinea, [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Sue Thompson, Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand, Sue Thompson [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Abstract This paper presents the preliminary findings of the Institutional Policy Project, and invites United Kingdom higher education providers to participate in this research project. The aim of the Institutional Policy Project is to explore higher education institutional policy to improve governance, enhance institutional policy-making quality and improve institutional outcomes governed by institutional policy. The Institutional Policy Project involves international comparative analysis, and studies are underway with respect to higher education institutional policy in the United States, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. The project builds on doctoral research underway regarding Australian university governance, policy and strategy. The Institutional Policy Project represents a collaboration between the University of Melbourne, University of California – Berkeley, Otago Polytechnic, Pacific Adventist University and Island Research and Consultants in the first instance. The Institutional Policy Project focuses on higher education institution policy, including policy infrastructure (policy human resources, meta-policy or “policy on policy”, professional development and policy repositories), features (policy instruments, approval authorities, the policy cycle), policy evaluation and review, and data warehouse systems related to institutional policy. Institutional policy is a key governance mechanism, and good practice institutional policy is essential to the effective operation of institutional quality management systems. The project will contribute to a better understanding of institutional policy, enable the identification of good practice exemplars, and in turn, facilitate improved institutional policy making practices. The paper will address the following key questions: What institutional infrastructure and resources are in place to support institutional policy? What are the features of institutional meta-policy (that is, “policy on policy”)? What are the internal and external contexts for institutional policy? What are the similarities and differences between institutional policy in Australia, United States, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. The paper will provide the basis for consideration of United Kingdom institutional policy arrangements, with a view to identifying good practice exemplars for sector learning purposes.
